Deputy Taylor-Quinn has been given permission to make a one minute statement on a matter appropriate to the Minister for the Marine.
Adjournment Debate. - Marine Matter.
I wish to raise the matter of the sinking of the trawler Antares off the Scottish coast last weekend resulting in the loss of a number of lives. Is the Minister in a position to give details of how this accident occurred? What protection are the Minister and the Department taking in relation to Irish trawlers and fishermen to avoid a similar disaster? What action is he taking internationally to ensure that this activity stops because it has been admitted that nuclear submarines are sculling trawlers so that they cannot be observed by satellites? In most instances they operate about 150 feet under the trawlers. Is the Minister taking up this matter with the United Nations? It is not enough to come before this House and say that it is a matter for international law or the law of the sea. Will the Minister take it up at EC level? What other action do the Government propose to take to afford some protection from this very serious threat around our coasts? We are unable to monitor the movements of submarines, which is very unsatisfactory.
Arising from my dual responsibilities for the safety of life at sea and for the development of the fishing industry, I expressed, in a press release on Friday last, my concern at the incident involving a fishing boat in the Firth of Clyde on 22 November. I explained that I would be taking a keen interest in the outcome of any inquiry established to investigate the incident. I would like to say here in this House that those with competence in the matter should be conscious of the safety of all seafarers and the absolute necessity of taking all measures to avoid loss of life and damage to fishing vessels or gear. I should add that fishermen in Donegal and in the Irish Sea have, in the past, expressed concern about the danger from submarines in their respective fishery areas and that they are entitled to the highest safety standard being applied by all.
The loss of the Antares took place outside Irish territorial waters which extend to 12 miles off our coast. I understand from a statement made by Mr. Archibald Hamilton, Minister of State at the UK Ministry of Defence that a Royal Navy submarine HMS Trenchant operating in the Clyde area in the early hours of Thursday morning last surfaced to investigate unexplained sounds on her starboard side. Mr. Hamilton reported to the House of Commons that the crew recovered a length of trawl cable from its casing and, assuming that it might have snagged the gear of a fishing vessel, tried unsuccessfully to contact neighbouring fishing vessels on VHF radio. The Ministry of Defence statement indicated that the submarine remained on the surface, conducted a search for some two and a half hours and, seeing nothing untoward, continued her operations.
The UK coastguard having been contacted by the Royal Navy initiated inquiries in an attempt to account for all vessels which may have been in the area and it later established that the fishing vessel Antares was missing in the search area. Following a search and rescue operation the vessel was discovered on the seabed in the early hours of Friday morning and the four crew are still missing, presumed dead.
Inquiries are to be conducted by both the UK Department of Transport and the Royal Navy and it would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to speculate in advance on the outcome of such inquiries. However, I wish to reassure this House that all appropriate action that I can take will be taken.
Ireland's national control over foreign vessels ends at the 12-mile limit of our territorial waters. Inside that limit vessels must travel on the surface and show identification. Beyond that limit vessels operate in international waters over which we do not have jurisdiction. Vessels travel freely through international waters.
I am concerned that every possible step should be taken to ensure that submarines operate in a responsible fashion vis-à-vis fishing vessels. To that end, and to minimise the danger posed to fishing vessels at sea by submerged submarines, my Department brought the matter to the attention of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) which is the London-based United Nations specialised agency responsible for safety at sea. As a result, a resolution was passed by the IMO Assembly in November 1987 recommending that if information on the presence of a fishing vessel and its gear is available a submerged submarine should, as far as possible, keep out of the way of that fishing vessel and any gear connected to it unless the submarine is disabled.
In the aftermath of the most recent tragedy I am asking the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Gerard Collins, to continue to avail of every opportunity to raise in the appropriate international fora the dangers which submarines pose to fishing vessels. As the Deputy may know, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs have raised this issue in the past at the United Nations. Furthermore, my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, on a number of occasions has raised bilaterally with the authorities in the countries involved incidents involving submarines and will continue to do so. In short, my Department will continue to do everything possible to enhance the safety of vessels at sea whether in territorial or international waters.
The Dáil adjourned at 11.5 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 28 November 1990.